From Heat to Electricity: How
We Make Electricity in the US
Jake Blanchard
Professor
Dept. of Engineering Physics
blanchard@engr.wisc.edu
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Outline
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How much energy do we use?
What is the difference between energy and
power?
How do we make electricity?
How much does it cost?
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Energy Usage History (Sci.Am. 1970)
Michael
Phelps eats
12,000
kcals/d
1 apple ~
100 kcals
Sources: EIA, International Energy Outlook 2000
US Bureau of the Census, International Database
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Energy Usage History
Energy in world history
By Vaclav Smil
164 (1000 kcal/d)
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Energy Units/Measures
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1 Joule – metric unit of energy
 Approximately
the energy needed to lift an apple
1 meter

Kilocalorie=4,184 Joules
 So
eating an apple provides 100 kcals or 418,000
Joules

1 Btu = 0.25 kcals=1,055 J
 So
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eating an apple provides about 400 Btu
1 kW-hr=1 kW consumed for 1 hour = 3.6 MJ =
3413 Btu
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Some Useful Facts
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1quad equals 1 quadrillion Btu (1015 Btu)
The US uses about 100 quads per year
A 1 GWe coal plant produces about 0.03
quads each year
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
An Example
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To heat a typical home for a year:
 100
Million Btu
 6,000 pounds of coal
 8,300 pounds of dry wood
 86,000 cubic feet of natural gas
 1 gram of uranium
 800 gallons gasoline

Depends on climate, construction, size of
home
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Power vs. Energy
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Power is a measure of the rate at which we
consume energy
It takes about 100 Btu to heat 1 pound of water
by 100 degrees F
 To
do this in 1 hour takes a power of 100 Btu/hr or
0.03 kW=30 W
 To do this in 6 minutes, takes 1,000 Btu/hr or 0.3
kW
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So more power provides the same amount of
energy, but in a shorter time
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Power Units
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1 Watt=1J/s
1 kW=1000 Watts
1 Btu/hr=0.29 Watts
1 horsepower=2,544 Btu/hr=746 Watts
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Examples
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A typical refrigerator uses 700 W
A typical air conditioner uses about 1100 W
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Creating Electricity – What is it?
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Electricity is just electrons
flowing in a wire
We need to take a fuel, burn
it, and use it to push
electrons out to customers
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Converting Heat to Electricity
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The key is the generator
Turn a coil in a magnetic field
This produces electricity
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Some Useful Terms
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The number of electrons pushed through the
circuit is the current – measured in amps
The “pressure” that pushes these electrons
through the circuit is the voltage – measured in
volts
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
AC vs. DC
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AC=alternating current
DC=direct current
In DC, the current always
flows in one direction
In AC, the current flows back
and forth
It changes direction 60 times
per second (60 Hz)
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Why AC?
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We use AC because it is easy to change the
voltage of an AC signal and we lose less power if
we transmit electricity at high voltage
So we
 Create
electricity at low voltage
 Step it up for transmission (1 Million Volts)
 Step it down for distribution (1,000 Volts)
 Step it down before it gets to our home (120 V)
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
How does a generator make AC?
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
How do we change the voltage?
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
What turns the generator?
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Start with high temperature,
high pressure steam
Blow it over turbine
Steam turns turbine and
turbine turns generator
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
The turbine/generator system
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
The Entire System
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Gas Turbines are Similar
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Efficiency
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We cannot convert all of the energy in a fuel to
electricity
We lose quite a bit of energy
A typical steam plant converts energy to
electricity at about 33% - We lose 2/3 of our
energy
That is, the conversion efficiency is about 33%
A typical car (internal combustion) has an
efficiency of about 20%
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Efficiency
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Electricity Usage in U.S. for 2010
(Quads)
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Electrical Energy Conversion
Theoretical Efficiency of Energy Conversion Devices
Convert Potential Energy (hydro)
~ 100% (75-90%)
Electrochemical cell (fuel cell)
~ 100% (20-40%)
Heat Engine (rankine cycle)
~ 66% (30-50%)
Solar Cells (photovoltaic)
~ 20% (10-20%)
Thermionic
~ 10% (<<10%)
Thermoelectric
~ 10% (<<10%)
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Our Options
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Coal, natural gas, oil
 burn
these fossil
fuels
 Boil water and send
to turbine
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Nuclear
 Split

uranium to
make heat
Hydro, Wind
 Flowing
water or wind
turns the turbine
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Solar
 Use
silicon to directly
convert heat to
electricity
 Use heat to heat
home or water
 Use heat to boil water
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
What is the current situation in US?
U.S. Energy Usage
Coal 23%
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Wisconsin: Renewables Share
WI 2010 Renewables:
7.2%
0.1%
Biomass
0.7%
1.4%
Wood
1.7%
Wind
3.3%
Hydro
Source: Wisconsin Energy Statistics 2009 (Consumption)
1 Btu = 1.055 kJ
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Cost of Electricity
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment
Summary
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Energy and Power are different, but related
Different fuels have different energy contents
The conversion process is inefficient
Most current electricity is produced using steam
or gas turbines
http://www.energy.wisc.edu
Energy and the Environment